Ivy Dress + Top Sew Along

2 Button Cuff Fold First Stitch SQUARE

5 — Cuffs and Attaching the Sleeves

Posted
27—May 2021

It's time to sew your cuffs and then attach your sleeves to the bodice.

Ivy Dress + Top Sew Along — 5 — Cuffs and Attaching the Sleeves
May 27 2021

In this post, we sew the button cuff and the tie cuff for the long sleeved Ivy option. Skip ahead to the option you are sewing.

Then, at the end of the post, we will set in your sleeves to the bodice.

30 Sleeve Cuff Guide Stitch
Button Cuff

Sew a line of stitching at 1cm between the notches as shown below. This stitching is a guide for folding under the seam allowance to help ensure a tidy finish when you close up the cuff. The side with the stitched line will be the outer cuff, and the side without stitching will be the inner cuff.

2 Button Cuff Fold First Stitch
3 Button Cuff Both Sides Sewn

Fold your cuff in half, lengthways with the right sides together. Sew the buttonhole end of the cuff closed, finishing 1cm before the cuff edge.

At the button tab end of the cuff, sew the end closed at 1cm, this time finishing at the cuff edge.

4 Button Cuff Fold Pim Seam Allowance
5 Button Cuff Seam Allowance Sewn In

Then fold the seam towards the inner cuff (unstitched side) and stitch from the edge to the notch, catching the seam allowance as you sew.

8 Button Cuff Snip In

Clip into the end of the seam, at the notch, 1cm on the inner cuff only.

6 Button Cuff Pair

Sew a second cuff as a mirror image of the first cuff, so you create a pair of cuffs.

7 Button Cuff Snip Corner

Now, trim the lower corner on the tab/button end of the cuffs.

9 Button Cuff Turn Out
10 Button Cuff Pair Turned Out

Turn your cuffs right side out and give them a press.

11 Button Cuff Gather Sleeve Opening
12 Button Cuff Gather Sleeve Opening Zoom

We will now attach your cuffs to the sleeves!

Using the longest stitch on your sewing machine, run two parallel lines of stitching 6mm apart, at the cuff edge. Gather the stitching until it is the same width as the cuff opening.

14 Button Cuff Pinned To Sleeve Zoom
15 Button Cuff Sewn To Sleeve

Pin the sleeve to the cuff between the notches, the wrong side of the sleeve to the right side of the inner cuff. This is the unstitched edge of the cuff.

The button tab end will go at the back of the sleeve, and the buttonhole end will be at the front. Now stitch the sleeve and cuff together.

You can determine the front and back of your sleeve by looking at the notches on the sleeve head. A single notch indicates the front and a double notch indicates the back.
16 Button Cuff Pin Closed
17 Button Cuff Remove Gathering Sitch

Press the seam into the cuff. Fold the 1cm seam allowance on the outer cuff under, and pin. The line of stitching you sewed will guide you here.

Stitch the cuff closed from the right side, then remove any visible gathering stitches.

19 Button Cuff Sleeve Pair Complete

Repeat for your other cuff.

Now scroll down to attach the sleeves to the bodice.

22 Tie Cuff Stay Stitch
Tie Cuff

On the tie cuff, sew a line of stitching at 1cm from the edge to the notch as shown below. This stitching is a guide for folding under the seam allowance to help ensure a tidy finish when you close up the cuff. The side with the stitched line will be the outer cuff, and the side without stitching will be the inner cuff.

21 Tie Cuff Matching Notches

Using the longest stitch on your sewing machine, run two parallel lines of stitching 6mm apart, at the cuff edge. Gather the stitching until it is the same width cuff between the notches.

23 Tie Cuff Pinned To Sleeve
25 Tie Cuff Sewn To Sleeve Zoom

Pin the sleeve to the cuff between the notches, on the inner cuff (unstitched side). Place the wrong side of the sleeve to the right side of the cuff. Now stitch to two pieces together.

27 Tie Cuff Wrong Sides Pinned Zoom

Fold the tie cuff in half right sides together and pin.

28 Tie Cuff Wrong Sides Sewn

Stitch the ends closed.

29 Tie Cuff Trim Seam Allowance

Now, trim the curved ends to 6mm and turn the cuff right side out. Press the seam into the cuff.

31 Tie Cuff Turned Out Pinned Closed Zoom
32 Tie Cuff Completed Zoom

Now, fold under the seam allowance 1cm along the line of stitching and pin. Edge stitch your cuff closed from the right side.

34 Tie Cuff Completed pair

Repeat for the other cuff, then give your sleeves a press.

Follow on to set in your sleeves to the bodice.

2 Gathering Stitch On Sleeve ALT

We will now set in the sleeves.

Using a long stitch, run a line of basting stitches over the sleeve head, 6mm from the edge, between the notches.

3 Ease In Sleeve
4 Sleeve Pinned

With the right sides together, pin the sleeve to the bodice, matching the underarm seam and the notches. Pull the basting thread gently to ease the sleeve head to the bodice. Pin the sleeve in place.

5 Sewing Sleeve
6 Sleeve Sewn

Sew the sleeve to the bodice, adjusting the sleeve head as you sew, and taking care not to create any tucks.

7 Overlocked Sleeve
9 Completed Long Sleeve Zoom

Neaten the seam and then press it towards the sleeve.

8 Completed Long Sleeve Bodice

Set in your second sleeve in the same way.

Now it is time to sew and attach the skirt or the peplum, depending on which view you are making.

Check out the Ivy Dress + Top pattern in our Online Store here. Don't forget you can always email us via [email protected] if you need advice!

Ivy makes from our wonderful community are also popping up over on Instagram, follow @makebytfs and use #TFSIvyDress or #TFSIvyTop so others can check out your creations!

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